Circus in the Clouds (The Balloonist Chronicles Book 3)

by L. J. Higgins

  “But you and Luke are okay, aren’t you?”

  “We’re getting there. At least he’s talking to me about the future again. I think he wants me to make a decision on whether I’m staying or leaving but it’s not that easy.”

  My heart sank. I didn’t blame him for wanting to know if she was going to leave us.

  “Maybe you should tell me what happened next on the flying circus ship to take my mind off things,” I suggested.

  13

  Olivia

  THE FLYING PHOENIX

  Not long after the letter arrived a knock sounded at the door. Running my fingers through my hair I turned the doorhandle and opened it revealing Adrena standing in the doorframe. She pushed past me, carrying a small wooden trunk.

  “Lukah asked me to come tidy you up for dinner.” She looked around the room before turning back to me with a smile. “I’m guessing you don’t have makeup or a fancy dress in that bag of yours?”

  She gestured to where my bag sat at the end of the bed.

  “You’d be guessing right,” I replied.

  “Lucky for you I’ve run a bath for you down the hall and I have this to help you with your air sickness.” She held up a small vial of florescent blue liquid. “It tastes a bit like bubble-gum and a lot like horse crap.”

  “Sounds delicious.” I took it from her and rolled it between my fingers. I could hear Nova’s voice in the back of my mind telling me not to trust her, not to trust the potion was what she claimed. But my head swam and my stomach squirmed, and the last thing I wanted to do was vomit all over the man who’d asked me to dinner. “Bottoms up.” I poured the liquid into my mouth. It tasted much worse than she’d described. My nose crinkled and I dry retched a little.

  “It does the trick,” she said. “It took me forever to get my sky legs. You’ll find yours much quicker if you take that.”

  “Thank you,” I said, my head already settling despite my stomach protesting more than before.

  “Let’s get you bathed. I can’t wait to scrub the filth out of your beautiful mane.”

  Adrena led me from the room, running her hand through her bright purple hair as we reached a door further along the hall. Pushing it open, she revealed a small bathing room with a wooden tub filled with steaming water. Lavender and Cedar filled the air, softening my muscles. She closed the door behind us.

  “Well, don’t be shy,” she said.

  Any shyness I once harboured about bathing in front of other females dissipated during my time with the elves in the Den. Their communal bathroom meant any insecurities with my body needed to dissolve, less I smell like a pig’s pen while I stayed there.

  I was thankful to peel off my filthy, sticky pants and top, dropping them to the floor before I plunged a foot into the heat of the bath. An oil film danced over the water’s surface and I hoped whatever they’d put in the bath would erase the filth on my skin. Another foot into the water and the warmth seeped deep into my ankles and calves and I gripped the baths sides to lower my body until I sank in up to my chin. Holding my breath, I slipped under, wetting my hair and rinsing my face until my chest ached and I had to come back up for air.

  “Let’s get that hair clean.” Adrena pulled up a wooden chair and sat at my head, pouring something into her hands and massaging it into my scalp. “What on earth were you doing in a hot air balloon on your own in the middle of the Dead Sky?”

  “The Dead Sky?” I asked.

  “The area between Cloudstone and Skycliff. It has the most dangerous flight path, most choose to fly around it because its atmosphere is so unpredictable and volatile, but not you, you and your little balloon flew straight through it.”

  “I have no idea how I got there,” I replied. It wasn’t a lie. I didn’t understand how the balloon’s magic worked, and I wasn’t about to tell her it could travel to different lands. “I remember a terrible storm then I woke up here.”

  “Rinse,” she instructed.

  I ducked my head below the surface and scrubbed the soap away before coming back up again. Adrena filled her hands with more liquid and began washing again. “Where did you leave from?”

  “I can’t remember,” I lied.

  “Right. But you can remember your name,” she said.

  “Yes. But that’s all.”

  “I’m not going to lie. I don’t believe you. But, we all have our secrets and things from the past we don’t want to share so I’m not going to press you. I can’t, however, promise Lukah won’t. He has a gift for pulling the darkest of secrets from a person.”

  “Why does he want to have dinner with me?” I asked.

  “Because you’re his newest guest. And you’re beautiful,” she said. “Rinse.”

  I did as she asked and hoped the redness in my cheeks was from the heat of the water and not from her words. I came up for air again to find her crouching beside me.

  “Be careful,” she whispered. “The circus might seem like fun and games but there are people here you can’t trust.”

  “Who?” I asked.

  There was a knock at the door.

  “We’re nearly done. Keep your pants on,” she called back.

  She rose to full height and held up a fresh white towel. I pushed myself up and out of the bath, wrapping the towel around me. Once I was dry Adrena offered me a sheer white dress to throw on.

  “Your dress is back in your room,” she said.

  When she opened the door, Calix, the guy who’d almost impaled Lukah’s face with a knife, was leaning against the opposite wall, arms crossed. “Took you long enough.”

  “Olivia needed a deep clean,” said Adrena.

  “Can’t have Lukah’s new plaything smelling bad.” Calix sauntered into the bathroom and closed the door.

  “Ignore him. He had a rough day,” she said.

  “I know. I was there when he nearly hit Lukah with the knife. Lukah was pretty tough on him,” I said.

  “He expects the best from his performers. We get food and board in return and travel all over the world,” she said.

  “But there’s people I shouldn’t trust?” I asked.

  Her gaze darted back and forth along the empty hall and she lowered her voice. “That’s between you and me. Life aboard the Flying Phoenix is a good life once you’re part of the crew, but you, my dear, are still an outsider.”

  We arrived back at my room and when we entered, a long shimmering red dress lay on my bed. I walked over and ran my hands over the fabric glistening in the candlelight.

  “It’s beautiful,” said Adrena. “Now, let’s get your hair and makeup done so you can try it on.”

  She beckoned for me to sit in a wooden chair and placed an ornate chest on the dresser at the end of my bed. Flicking it open, it was full of brushes and pots and she set to work dusting and dabbing at my face before brushing out my wild hair and braiding it back from my face.

  “Now for the dress,” she said.

  Slipping off my white shift, careful not to ruin Adrena’s work, I lifted the red dress and stepped into it, Adrena helping me slip it up over my hips and secure it at the back of my neck. It hugged every inch of my too thin figure and a slit ran up its side, revealing most of my right leg.

  “Stunning,” said Adrena. “Would you like to see?”

  “Is that okay?” I asked.

  “Of course.” She pulled a mirror from her box, whispered a few words over it and it flipped open two, three, four times until it stood at my full height.

  My eyes widened at the sight in front of me. She was right. I looked amazing. My breasts were pushed up, my waist cinched in tight, and my hair and makeup made me look as though I hadn’t been found starving and dehydrated days before.

  “How did you make the mirror do that?” I asked in awe.

  “Magic. I don’t have much. Lukah wouldn’t allow it. But I’m allowed to use it for things like this. I don’t like many people to know.”

  “I won’t tell a soul,” I said.

  “I knew
I could trust you. There’s something in those bright green eyes of yours that tell me you’re one of the good guys. They also tell me you’ve seen and been through a lot.”

  “Thank you,” was all I could say.

  A knock sounded at the door, making me jump and the mirror folded back down to its original size. Adrena put away her brushes and pots. “That’s our cue. Now I’ll take you to enjoy dinner with Lukah.”

  Where I’d been full of confidence staring at my reflection in the mirror, the closer we drew to Lukah’s office, the more nervous and unsure I became. I smoothed my hands over my thighs and pulled the end of my braid over my shoulder.

  “Stop fussing, you look beautiful,” reassured Adrena. It didn’t help.

  When we approached the double doors, my heart thundered as though it might beat out of my chest.

  “This is where I leave you. Have fun.” She knocked on the door and left.

  “Please enter,” called Lukah, and I pushed the doors open.

  Inside, his office had been transformed into a small dining room. White fairy lights were draped across the ceiling and a small dining table with two chairs sat to the left a beautiful stained glass lantern at its centre.

  Lukah rose from his desk and made his way over to me, mouth agape and arms wide. “You look incredible.” As he took me in, I did the same of him. He’d exchanged his colourful clothing for a much smarter suit of black, but still he wore no shirt beneath his jacket. Instead his tanned muscular chest peeked through, shining under the light of the fairy lights.

  “Thank you,” I said. “I wish I could take all the credit but I wouldn’t look like this without Adrena’s help.”

  “Beautiful and modest.” He took my right hand and kissed it. “Come, take a seat. Sonita and her team have cooked us a delicious three course meal.”

  He pulled out a chair and I sat. He took a seat across from me. As though he’d been watching from some dark corner of the room, a man appeared with a silver platter covered with a cloche.

  He removed the silver dome. “Duck breast with beets and watercress,” he announced as he served each of us with a plate decorated with food.

  “Thank you,” I said.

  He bowed and disappeared behind me.

  “Go on, taste it,” said Lukah, eyebrows raised. Once again, his childlike excitement had my veins buzzing.

  Picking up my fork I pierced a piece of duck and placed it in my mouth, savouring the juicy caramel taste. “It’s delicious.”

  He puffed out his chest before taking a bite of his own meal. “I knew you’d love it. Now, Olivia, I’d love to hear about your travels.”

  “My travels?” I asked.

  “Yes, where you came from, where you were going…”

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” I said.

  “Try me,” he insisted.

  “I’d just helped an elven race win a war to regain their freedom, and the magical pull of the balloon beckoned me to climb in. I’d hoped it would take me home, but instead I found myself flying through clouds for days…” I covered my mouth, eyes wide. Why had I told him that?

  “That sounds most intriguing. I’d love to hear more about the elves. I’ve never met elves before.”

  And I told him. Told him about Mother Earth’s heart and how we’d managed to get the piece back to her. He was so easy to speak to, and he listened intently saying a ‘wow’ or ‘incredible’ when needed until he knew the entire story. I’d told myself I would keep my travels to myself, but despite wanting to stop I couldn’t. It was as though my tongue had been lathered in soap, so each word could slip out without a thought.

  “How about you?” I was ready to talk about something other than myself. “How did you become the ring leader of a flying circus?”

  “Since I was a young boy, I dreamed of running away and joining a circus, and when I was twelve I did. I joined the Flying Phoenix Circus as an errand boy and worked my way up the ranks until I became ringmaster myself. I learned everything I know from Master Percival before he passed.”

  “Were any of your performers here when you started?” I asked.

  “No, I acquired many of them after Percival died. Adrena was the first. I trust her with my life.”

  “It’s an incredible place you have here. I can’t wait to see you perform in Skycliff.”

  “I can’t wait for you to see us perform. I promise it will be like nothing you’ve ever seen.”

  We continued to eat and drink until my belly was so full I was thankful for the tightness of the dress keeping it in.

  “Would you like to dance?” asked Lukah.

  He rose from his chair and made his way over to me, offering his hand. I took it in mine, a soft tingle racing up my arm as I stood and let him guide me beneath a crystal chandelier I hadn’t noticed before. He made a hand gesture and a soft symphony filtered into the room as he pulled me close to him, guiding me in an intimate dance. He smelled of peppermint and black tea, and I found myself leaning my head against his chest as we rocked back and forth, my feet moving in perfect timing as though enchanted. When he held me out and spun me around, my body ached at the distance until he pulled me back against his chest. With his warm breath on my forehead, my heart thundered behind my ribs as he licked his bottom lip before lowering his face towards mine.

  A banging on the door made me blink and I pulled away, realising I was about to kiss a complete stranger. How did he do that? Make me so vulnerable and comfortable, as though I’d known him for years. The thumping sounded again.

  “What?” he bellowed, making me jump.

  The door swung open and Lukah stepped away from me, rejection and loneliness filling my chest as Loretta entered, jolting to a stop when she spotted me.

  “I heard you might have company,” she spat.

  “What I do in my spare time is none of your concern,” he said. “Olivia and I were merely enjoying a meal and getting to know each other.”

  “Yeah, getting to know each other really well,” she said.

  I swallowed hard under her gaze, shame creeping over me. What was I doing being so close to a man I barely knew? Had I learned nothing from my time with William?

  “What is it you want, Loretta?”

  “It’s Ember, she’s disappeared again,” she said.

  “And why can’t you deal with it?”

  “Because I’m not her babysitter.” She put her hands on her hips and shot him a gaze that dared him to argue.

  Lukah growled. “Fine. I’ll be out in a moment.”

  Loretta crossed her arms.

  “Leave,” he barked at her.

  She clenched her jaw, shooting me a death glare before she left, slamming the door behind her.

  “I swear all of these performers are nothing but children. Can’t I have a few hours of peace?” He ran his fingers through his dark hair and released a breath before smiling and turning to me. “I’m sorry Olivia. I need to go sort this out.”

  “That’s fine.” My head still reeled from the almost kiss. “I’ve had a big day and need to rest.”

  Another knock sounded. “Great, that will be Adrena. She’ll take you back to your room.”

  How had she known to fetch me so fast?

  Biting my bottom lip, I started towards the door but Lukah grabbed my wrist and spun me back towards him.

  “I truly am sorry. I was having a wonderful time. Hopefully we can do this again soon,” he said.

  All of my stress and doubt melted away. “Of course.”

  “Wonderful.” He released my hand. “See you tomorrow.”

  “See you tomorrow.” I made my way to the door, opening it to find Adrena.

  I turned to find Lukah was gone.

  “How was it?” Adrena guided me into the hallway.

  How was it? It floated in and out of my mind like some half dream. “Like a dream.”

  A worried expression flashed across her face before she regained her smile. “I’m glad you had a good time. Le
t’s get you to bed. Lukah wants you to help me with some chores in the morning. Sonita said she doesn’t need any help in the kitchen and the performers will get upset if you aren’t doing something to pay your way.”

  When we arrived at my room, I opened the door and stepped inside.

  “Do you need a hand undoing your hair or removing your makeup?” asked Adrena.

  “I’m sure I’ll be fine, you’ve done enough,” I said.

  “There’s a warm wet towel on the cupboard beside your new hairbrush. I’ve also placed a nightdress on the end of the bed with some fresh undergarments I’m sure will fit you.”

  “Thank you so much for everything,” I said.

  She nodded. “Sweet dreams, Olivia.”

  “Sweet dreams,” I replied.

  Adrena closed the door behind her and I undid the clasp at the back of my neck sliding off the dress and lying it over the small wooden chair in the corner of the room. Once dressed in my new underwear and nightdress, I used the warm towel to clean my face deciding to leave my hair in a braid. Climbing into bed, my mind twisted and turned as it tried to piece together the events of the evening. Maybe the altitude sickness and tiredness were making my mind fuzzy. I needed a good night’s rest. Sitting up I couldn’t see my bag at the end of my bed. My throat tightened as I threw back the covers and searched round the room. Where was my bag? Panic surged through my veins until I spotted its strap beneath the bed. Sliding it out, I placed it atop my sheets pulling out my things to ensure they were all still there. Unwrapping the crystal from Mother Earth, I weighed it in the palm of my hands, letting its warmth calm my nerves. Maybe Adrena had moved it to make room when she was getting me ready? Pulling out a vial of Valger, I put two drops on my tongue, the earthy taste reminding me of the Den and my friends. I repacked my bag and hugged it to my chest as I lay back onto my pillow, letting sleep take me.

  14